There are restrictions in place already to make sure that satellites launched now will de-orbit (or be placed in to a non-operational orbit). In order to get a

There are restrictions in place already to make sure that satellites launched now will de-orbit (or be placed in to a non-operational orbit). In order to get a license from the FCC to operate a satellite you have to prove that you have some way of de-orbiting the satellite within 25 years after mission end or 30 years from launch. On an international level the ITU has the same guidelines. This applies for satellites in low earth orbit. For satellites in geosynchronous orbit it takes a hell of a lot of energy to de-orbit them. So the requirements are to place the satellite in a non-operational orbit at the end of the mission which usually means boosting it up higher outside of the geosynchronous belt.